nightscotsman

They happen to go really well with peaches or nectarines in a crisp - perhaps with some pecans in the topping and bourbon creme anglaise on the side? Also, blackberry jelly is very easy and luscious. Cook with some rosemary for some added interest.

Mind if I ask where this Magnificent Two Blocks is located? Sounds like some good stuff. And I think I saw Dave's Italian Kitchen on "Check Please" a few weeks ago. The discussion was very positive and everything they showed looked great.

I have a stand Kitchenaide mixer (with two bowls and whisks) that I use a LOT at home, but I also have a Krups (probably the same as rickster has) that I find really useful for very small amounts and quick jobs. I got it at a garage sale with the dough spiral thingies and a stand it locks into - I agree that these parts are useless. However, I find the shape of the regular beaters seems to beat cream very quickly and incorporate more air than most hand mixers.

Mmmmm... pie...

for a white cake I highly recommend the White Chocolate Whisper Cake from the "Cake Bible". The cocoa butter adds a slightly richer, more complex flavor without making the cake dense.

Thanks for the link, docsconz. The air holes on top look like a good idea, but I'm thinking you would want the plain ones for working in a kitchen. Do you wear them with or without the heel strap? Sure would like to try these on before ordering on-line. I'll have to call and see if any retailers in Chicago carry them. By the way, here is a link to the Calzuro page on AllHeart: http://www.allheart.com/calzuro.html (prices and return policy looks good)

Wow, Michael - thanks so much for inspirational and educational post! You really should write a book or at least a longer article on the subject. I've been reading this thread as someone just starting out in the pastry field with very mixed feelings. A small part of me is still questioning if I'm nuts and doing the right thing, but now that I'm on my way I'm more strongly convinced this is for me. The thing that needs to be said here is that being a pastry chef isn't really all that different from a hundred other professionals who feel they don't get the recognition they deserve. I know - replace the words "pastry chef" with "graphic designer" in most of the above posts and they would still ring true, for the both the good and bad points. Part of what you have to ask yourself is what kind of recognition you want and why do you want it? Do you want the ego boost of seeing your name in print and a pat on the back from the exec chef, or do you want to promote your work to further your career, make yourself more valuable to current and future employers, bring in more customers, and help bring notice to the profession in general? Of course we would all like to feel appreciated, but to rely on outside praise for our sense of self-worth is the road to heartache and bitterness. Michael's points about self-promotion are spot on. It truly is a fantasy if we think we can just put out wonderful desserts and the world will beat a path to our door. There is no profession anywhere that works that way. And as much as we may sneer at many of the Celebrity Chefs, they have done a huge service to chefs everywhere by bringing attention, legitimacy and respectability to the profession. We have a small handful of pastry chefs willing to do the work to put themselves out there at that level, and whatever their motives or real level of skill I say "congratulations and go for it"! Ultimately they will end up helping us all.

I haven't heard of Calzuros. do they have good cushioning and arch support? I thought Mario wore Anywears?

I got the Dansko clogs with backs for school, and though I was a little worried foot bed was a little hard, the arch support has been excellent. I don't have to walk very far in them, but I don't feel like they are going to fall off my feet like a backless clog might. I have narrow feet and a high arch, so Birkenstocks were just out of the question. My only issue with the Danskos now is traction - they do fine on wet surfaces, but a bit of flour on the floor (I'm in pastry school) is like walking on ice. Anybody else had this problem? Oh, and I recommend getting shoes with a glossy rather than matte finish. I liked the look of the non-glossy ones in the store, but they are much harder to keep clean.

My guess is they just put down a layer of pistachio praline powder or paste before pouring in the lemon cream. To make praline powder you make a caramel and add nuts, spread out on a sheet pan to cool, then pulverize in a food processor - process less for a crunchy powder, more for a paste. You should be able to easily make your own by following a recipe for hazelnut or almond praline and substituting pistachios.

Was the pistachio layer smooth like a cream, thick like a paste or cake, or crunchy like toasted nuts or pastry shell?

If you are holding the cakes at room temp, an egg white butter cream (with either swiss or italian meringue) is the way to go. An egg yolk buttercream would spoil much sooner.

Go. Get the donuts for dessert. Trust me.

Actually, Lesley is Canadian and the main edition of the book was in French. As I understand it, the English lanugage version had limited availability since it was published in Toronto. The ISBN is: 0-7715-7711-7.

Lesley C's book is called "Baking & Pastry: Basic Techniques" by Lesley Chesterman and Bertrand Bazin. It's a fairly slim volume aimed at the home baker covering a good representative range of classic french pastry techniques and recipes. Chapters cover: equipment; basic techniques; doughs; basic cakes; creams, fillings and frostings; pies and tarts; classic cakes; petits fours; yeast breads; and quick breads. It's most valuable feature is the detailed step by step photographs accompanying almost every recipe. It's really a pastry class in a book. I've only made one item from it so far - the Chocolate Mascarpone buche de noel - but it was a huge success. It's basically impossible to find the english version, but Lesley was kind enough to sell me one of her copies. Sinclair - if I had know you were looking for the Stars book before I packed away all my stuff in storage I would have sent you my copy - I didn't really care for it other than the pretty photos. Unfortunately it is still in Seattle while I'm now in Chicago.

When I made the Pierre Herme recipe for chocolate puff pastry, I ended up making bouches (mini vol au vents) filled with white chocolate cream and topped with a raspberry. You could also fill them with a creme brulee mixture, ice cream, or chocolate/espresso cream and top with chocolate mirror glaze. I assume these are at least defrosted before serving?

Canvas - with nice soft cotton handles.

I notice that "Check Please" is going to be featuring Spring on the show tonight. Thought y'all might be interested. Oh, and Klinger - thanks for the report on your dessert. I may have to do some "research" there soon.

Depending on the actual days (I really can't miss class), and if there is room for me, I would love to join the expedition. Of course I would have to bum a ride from someone, but I'm willing to help pay for gas. guajolote - think you can handle two birthday cakes?

"In the Sweet Kitchen" has been out for a couple years, and I think we've discussed it in several other threads. I have to say I was rather unimpressed with it, and of the three recipes I tried, two were inedible failures (though the third was quite good). Someone mentioned Gale Gand - I have her "Just a Bite", and while I think there are some really good ideas, I've had mixed success with her recipes. If you are looking for a similar book with rock-solid recipes and directions you would do better getting "Sweet Miniatures" by Flo Braker. Everything I have made from it has worked exactly as she describes (including chocolate macarons) and was delicious.

When I went to Paris last year I made all my reservations via fax (in English). Much less chance of a missunderstanding, less expensive on the phone bill, and you don't have to calculate what the time is there and if they are open when you call. Worked like a charm.

I'm a huge fan of Beranbaum's "Cake Bible" and recommend it to every home baker I meet - not so much for the "Pastry Bible" which I think is overly fussy and iconoclastic. I also think "A Piece of Cake" (re-released as "The Perfect Cake") by Susan Purdy, "Sweet Miniatures" by Flo Braker (she's a baking Goddess), and Baking with Julia (which was written by Dorie Greenspan) are also essential. Another book I would recommend is the "Dessert Bible" by the Cook's Illustrated folks. Great in-depth background on all the recipes and many variations. My only peeve with the way it's written is in the introduction chapter he says that all professional chefs use scales instead of measuring cups and goes on about how much faster and more acurate it is - then he writes all the recipes in cups and tablespoons!

Dean, you sure we aren't long lost blood brothers? I have one *exactly* like that. I've got one of those too! (though I don't shake with it 'cause it leaks) Great when I need a recipe for a Gin and Tonic.

"More than three-quarters of potential customers felt that restaurants were not taking full advantage of the internet" This is not the lease bit surprising given that at least 95% of businesses in general aren't taking "full advantage" of the internet. Just give me the information I want, help me find it quickly, then get the hell out of the way. God save us from pointless Flash crap. Goddamn masturbating designers ::grumble grumble:: Bitter? Who me?

No, Sweetie. You and I are going to the mothership: Trader Vic's!! You got it, babe.